As a mom to a tween, it is a constant battle to get my son excited about anything besides video games these days. Can you relate?
So I thought I would go straight to the source & find out what sort of gifts would get these young adults excited! So I had a sit down with some tweens & teens (perks of having 11 nieces and nephews & 7 great-nieces and nephews, large pool of youths at my disposal for research! Bahahaha!). Together, we came up with a line up of great gift ideas that aren’t clothes or video games for the 11+ crowd!
Experiences
Concert tickets, movie passes, a trip to space camp, a weekend at an indoor water park, or like I am doing for my son this year – a two week trip out to see his best friend in Missouri! Gifting experiences is all about making memories! Rather than blow $300+ on a new system & some video games, I’m spending that money on the trip & fun activities for while we are in Kansas City!
Musical Instruments
This was a delightful item to make the line up – lots of young adults loved the idea of getting a musical instrument, like a guitar, drum set – I even had votes for a standing bass! As instruments can be pricey, check your local garage sale sites or ask grandparents to contribute to the gifting experience. Pairing an instrument + lessons combines a physical item with an experience, while also helping them learn their new instrument.
Season Passes
Year-round fun for the whole family? Yes, please! These gifts are a personal favorite of mine because it is all about the experiences and making great memories while gifting your child something that will blow their socks off. Theme parks, rec center pools, science museums, the symphony, sporting events, the aquarium or zoo – fun places that interest your child can be costly for day trips, but their season passes are typically around $100-$200 & then you get an entire year of amazing memories with your child.
Supplies & Support For Their Interests
Last year, my video game engrossed son begged for & finally got a capture card and his own YouTube channel so that instead of passively just playing video games, he could start recording videos and learn things like modding Minecraft, “public” speaking, SEO, market research, etc. He had no idea he was learning all that, but now he is a whiz at making videos & has quite the popular channel thanks to all the research he did! It is something he is so very proud of and I am so happy I was able to fuel his interests in such a way. Give your child creative supplies to fuel their fire. If they are into make-up like a lot of my nieces are, maybe new mermaid brushes, expensive makeup you wouldn’t usually buy, and a webcam so they can practice makeup tutorials. If they are into fashion, give them the gift of a fashion designing class at a local community college, a sewing machine & throw in a gift card for a local fabric shop & you’re the coolest insert title here ever, promise!
Their Own Space
My son & his young counterparts surprised me with these gift suggestions – redecorated living space in their bedrooms & new furniture that suits their lifestyles. For my son, he said he would like a loft bed with a futon beneath it for gaming & sleep overs, plus lounge chairs for his friends to hang out in when they come over, a table for board games in his room, a new dresser and better storage. Say what?! Others chimed in that a vanity for putting on makeup, a better setup for their own TVs or computers, new wall colors, curtains and so forth to really make their space their own. I personally love this and think it is a great gift idea for older teens who spend a lot of time hanging out in their room.
Do you have more non-clothing or video game gift suggestions for young adults? Share them in the comments!
Cody is a monster making, home schooling mom of two from Western North Carolina. You can find her monster creations at luanded.com & join her for punky meet ups in the Punky Asheville Chapter.
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